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Abstract:

An improved paintball gun uses a low-pressure pneumatic sear to hold the
firing valve closed against the high pressure gas occupying the other
side of the valve. In this manner, only one operation is required between
depressing the trigger and the firing of the paintball gun because a
double-acting cylinder is not required as an interface between the
trigger depression and actuation of the valve. The paintball gun is also
substantially faster than existing electro-pneumatic paintball guns
because it uses a blow forward bolt, in which higher-pressure gas is held
directly behind the bolt and has only one direction to travel during the
firing of the paintball gun.

Claims:

1. A pneumatic paintball gun, comprising: a pneumatic piston slidably
mounted in a cylinder, the cylinder including a compressed gas storage
area, the cylinder configured to receive compressed gas and to supply the
compressed gas to the pneumatic piston to control movement of the
pneumatic piston; a bolt connected to and moveable with the pneumatic
piston, said bolt comprising a port configured to communicate compressed
gas from a chamber to a forward end of the bolt for launching a
paintball; a sealing member arranged in communication with the bolt,
wherein the sealing member is configured to prevent compressed gas from
the compressed gas storage area from entering the bolt port when the bolt
is in a first position and to permit compressed gas to be released into
the bolt port when the bolt is in a second position; a supply port for
supplying compressed gas to the compressed gas storage area; a solenoid
valve configured to supply compressed gas to a forward surface area of
the bolt to hold the bolt in an open position; wherein the solenoid valve
is configured to vent compressed gas from the forward surface area of the
bolt to allow the bolt to move to a closed position and to allow the
release of compressed gas from the compressed gas storage chamber through
the bolt port to fire the paintball gun.

2. A paintball gun according to claim 1, wherein the solenoid valve is a
three-way solenoid valve.

3. A paintball gun according to claim 2, wherein the three-way solenoid
valve is normally-opened to direct compressed gas from a compressed gas
source to the forward surface area of the bolt piston when the solenoid
is deactuated.

4. A paintball gun according to claim 3, wherein the three-way solenoid
valve is configured to vent compressed gas away from the forward surface
area of the bolt piston when the solenoid is actuated in response to a
firing signal.

5. A paintball gun according to claim 1, wherein the pneumatic piston
comprises a surface area arranged in communication with the compressed
gas storage area.

6. A paintball gun according to claim 5, wherein compressed gas from the
compressed gas storage area acts on the piston surface area to cause the
bolt to move to a closed position when compressed gas is vented away from
the forward surface area of the bolt piston.

7. A paintball gun according to claim 1, further comprising a circuit
board arranged in the body of the paintball gun.

8. A pneumatic paintball gun, comprising: a bolt connected to a pneumatic
piston, said bolt comprising a port configured to communicate compressed
gas to a forward end of the bolt for launching a paintball, the bolt
slidably mounted in a cylinder, said piston having an effective surface
area, said bolt having an effective surface area; a seal configured to
prevent compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area from entering
the port when the bolt and piston are in a rearward position and to
permit compressed gas to be released into the port when the bolt and
piston are in a forward position; a supply port arranged to supply
compressed gas to the compressed gas storage area, wherein compressed gas
from the compressed gas storage area supplies a forward force on the
surface area of the piston to urge the bolt and piston towards the
forward position when the compressed gas storage area receives compressed
gas from a source of compressed gas; a solenoid valve arranged to supply
compressed gas to the surface area of the bolt, wherein compressed gas
acting on the surface area of the bolt provides a rearward force greater
than the forward force acting on the surface area of the piston to hold
the bolt and piston in a rearward position; and, wherein the solenoid
valve is configured to selectively vent compressed gas from the surface
area of the bolt to allow the bolt and piston to move forward using the
forward force applied to at least one first surface area.

9. A pneumatic paintball gun, comprising: a pneumatic assembly comprising
a firing mechanism including a bolt arranged in a single longitudinal
bore of the paintball gun; said bolt comprising at least one first
surface area and at least one second surface area, said bolt further
providing the firing mechanism of the paintball gun; a compressed gas
storage area that supplies compressed gas to the at least one first
surface area to provide a forward force on the bolt when the compressed
gas area receives compressed gas from a source of compressed gas; and a
solenoid valve configured to selectively supply compressed gas to the at
least one second surface area to provide a rearward force on the bolt
that is greater than the forward force.

10. A pneumatic paintball gun according to claim 9, wherein the solenoid
valve supplies compressed gas to the at least one second surface area
when the solenoid valve is de-actuated.

11. A pneumatic paintball gun according to claim 10, wherein the solenoid
valve vents compressed gas away from the at least one second surface area
when the solenoid valve is actuated.

12. A pneumatic paintball gun according to claim 9, further comprising a
seal in selective communication with a portion of the bore to prevent
compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area from entering a
forward bolt tip when the bolt is in a rearward position and to allow
compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area to enter the bolt tip
when the bolt is in a closed position.

13. A pneumatic paintball gun according to claim 9, wherein the bolt
includes a decreased diameter portion adapted to communicate compressed
gas from the compressed gas storage area to a bolt tip of the bolt when
the bolt is in the forward position.

14. A pneumatic paintball gun, comprising: a bolt and a firing mechanism
arranged in a single longitudinal bore of the paintball gun; a compressed
gas storage area supplying compressed gas to the bolt when the compressed
gas storage area is pressurized to provide a forward force on the bolt;
and a solenoid valve that selectively supplies compressed gas to the bolt
to provide a rearward force on the bolt sufficient to overcome the
forward force on the bolt.

Description:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 12/613,958, filed Nov. 6, 2009, which are both continuations of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 12/256,832, filed Oct. 23, 2008, issuing as
U.S. Pat. No. 8,176,908 on May 15, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/654,723, filed Jan. 18, 2007, now
abandoned, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/183,548, filed Jul. 18, 2005, now abandoned, which claims the benefits
of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 60/588,912 and 60/654,262, filed
Jul. 16, 2004 and Feb. 18, 2005 respectively, the entire contents of
which are all incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The field of invention is the sport of paintball, and in particular
paintball markers used therein.

BACKGROUND

[0003] This invention relates generally to the construction of compressed
gas guns and more particularly to the guns designed to propel a liquid
containing frangible projectile, otherwise known as a "paintball." As
used herein, the term "compressed gas" refers to any mean known in the
art for providing a fluid for firing a projectile from a compressed gas
gun, such as a CO2 tank, a nitrous tank, or any other means supplying gas
under pressure. Older existing compressed gas guns generally use a
mechanical sear interface to link the trigger mechanism to the hammer or
firing pin mechanism. In these guns, a trigger pull depresses the sear
mechanism which allows the hammer, under spring or pneumatic pressure, to
be driven forward and actuate a valve that releases compressed gas
through a port in the bolt, which propels a projectile from the barrel.

[0004] This design, however, has many problems, including increased
maintenance, damage after repeated cycles, and a higher amount of force
is required to drive the hammer mechanism backwards to be seated on the
sear. Also, because the sear and resulting hammer must be made of
extremely hard materials, the gun is heavy. Such weight is a disadvantage
in paintball, where a player's agility works to his advantage.

[0005] To overcome the problems of a mechanical sear, people developed
other solutions. One solution uses a pneumatic cylinder, which uses
spring or pneumatic pressure on alternating sides of a piston to first
hold a hammer in the rearward position and then drive it forward to
actuate a valve holding the compressed gas that is used to fire the
projectile. Although the use of a pneumatic cylinder has its advantages,
it requires the use of a stacked bore, where the pneumatic cylinder in
the lower bore and is linked to the bolt in the upper bore through a
mechanical linkage. It also requires increased gas use, as an independent
pneumatic circuit must be used to move the piston backwards and forwards.
A further disadvantage is that adjusting this pneumatic circuit can be
difficult, because the same pressure of gas is used on both sides of the
piston and there is no compensation for adjusting the amount of recock
gas, used to drive it backwards, and the amount of velocity gas, which is
the amount of force used to drive it forward and strike the valve. This
results in erratic velocities, inconsistencies, and shoot-down. In
addition, this technology often results in slower cycling times, as three
independent operations must take place. First, the piston must be cocked.
Second, the piston must be driven forward. Third, a valve is opened to
allow compressed gas to enter a port in the bolt and fire a projectile.
Clearly, the above design leaves room for improvement.

[0006] Single-bore designs have also been developed which place the
cylinder and piston assembly in the top bore, usually behind the bolt.
This reduces the height of the compressed gas gun, but still requires
that a separate circuit of gas be used to drive the piston in alternating
directions, which then actuates a valve to release compressed gas, which
drives the bolt forward to launch a paintball. These are generally known
as spool valve designs. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,644,295,
5,613,483 and 5,494,024.

[0007] Existing spool valve designs have drawbacks as well. Coordinating
the movements of the two separate pistons to work in conjunction with one
another requires very precise gas pressures, port orifices, and timing in
order to make the gun fire a projectile. In the rugged conditions of
compressed gas gun use, these precise parameters are often not possible.
In addition, adjusting the velocity of a compressed gas gun becomes very
difficult, because varying the gas pressure that launches a paintball in
turn varies the pressure in the pneumatic cylinder, which causes erratic
cycling.

[0008] What is needed is a compressed gas gun design that eliminates the
need for a separate cylinder and piston assembly and uses a pneumatic
sear instead of a pneumatic double-acting cylinder to hold the firing
mechanism in place prior to firing a projectile. This allows the gun to
be very lightweight and compact, and simplifies adjusting the recock gas
used to cock the bolt and the gas used to fire the projectile.

SUMMARY

[0009] One aspect of the present invention provides an improved paintball
gun that uses a low-pressure pneumatic sear to hold the firing valve
closed against the high pressure gas occupying the other side of the
valve. In this manner, only one operation is required between depressing
the trigger and the firing of the paintball gun because a double-acting
cylinder is not required as an interface between the trigger depression
and actuation of the valve. The improved paintball gun is also
substantially faster than existing electro-pneumatic paintball guns
because it uses a blow forward bolt, in which higher-pressure gas is held
directly behind the bolt and has only one direction to travel during the
firing of the paintball gun.

[0010] In operation, a preferably normally open electro-pneumatic valve
directs low pressure compressed gas to the front of the firing valve,
which is connected to the bolt, which drives the valve backwards in a
closed position. On the rearward side of the firing valve,
higher-pressure gas is occupying the space surrounding the surface of the
firing valve. When the trigger is depressed, it sends an electrical
signal to the electropneumatic valve that actuates it. When actuated, the
electro-pneumatic valve shuts off and vents to atmosphere the flow of
low-pressure gas to the front of the firing valve. As this low pressure
gas is being vented, the higher pressure gas on the rear of the firing
valve overcomes the pressure on the front of the valve, and the firing
valve moves forward, allowing the higher pressure gas to escape around
the edges of the valve to be directed down through the center of the bolt
to launch the projectile. When the electropneumatic valve is de-actuated,
low-pressure gas is then directed to the front of the firing valve,
driving it rearwards to seat the valve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Other objects of the invention will be more readily apparent upon
reading the following description of embodiments of the invention and
upon reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a side view of a compressed gas gun utilizing a variable
pneumatic sear in the firing position.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side view of a compressed gas gun utilizing a variable
pneumatic sear in the loading position.

[0014] FIG. 3 is an expanded view of the variable pneumatic sear in the
loading position.

[0015]FIG. 4 is an expanded view of the variable pneumatic sear in the
launching position.

[0016] FIG. 5 is an expanded isometric view of the switches located within
the recess.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] FIGS. 1-5 illustrate of a compressed gas gun incorporating a
pneumatic sear. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a paintball gun generally
comprises a main body 3, a grip portion 45, a trigger 24, a feed tube 6,
and a barrel 10. These components are generally constructed out of metal
or a suitable substance that provides the desired rigidity of these
components. Main body 3 generally is connected to a supply of projectiles
by feed tube 6 as understood by those skilled in the art. Main body 3 is
also connected to grip portion 45, which houses the trigger 24, battery
64 and circuit board 63. The trigger 24 is operated by manual depression,
which actuates micro-switch 86 directly behind trigger 24 to send an
electrical signal to circuit board 63 to initiate the launching sequence.
Barrel 10 is also connected to body 3, preferably directly in front of
feed tube 6, to allow a projectile to be fired from the gun.

[0018] Hereinafter, the term forward shall indicate being towards the
direction of the barrel 10 and rearward shall indicate the direction away
from the barrel 10 and towards the rear of main body 3. Preferably
forward of the grip portion 45, and also attached to main body 3, the
regulator mount 2 houses both the low-pressure regulator 21 and the
high-pressure regulator 50. Compressed gas is fed from preferably a
compressed gas tank into the input port 49 on high-pressure regulator 50
to be directed to tube 7 to launch a projectile and to be directed to low
pressure regulator 21 to cock the bolt tip 38 for loading. Both
regulators 21, 50 are constructed from principles generally known to
those skilled in the art, and have adjustable means for regulating
compressed gas pressure.

[0019] Referring more particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, housed within main
body 3 is the firing mechanism of the gun. Firing mechanism preferably
consists of a bolt tip 38, which is preferably constructed out of delrin
or metal and is connected to piston 32, housed in cylinder body 31.
Piston 32 is also constructed out of delrin or metal, and is connected to
valve pin/piston 33, housed on the interior of piston 32. In the loading
position, valve pin 33 is forced rearward and seal 70 (located on a
rearward portion 33a of the valve pin 33) is pushed against the lip 75 of
valve housing tip 35, holding high-pressure compressed gas A on the
rearward face 33b of valve pin 33 and preventing the flow through bolt
tip 38. All seals, including o-ring 70 are constructed out of urethane,
BUNA, or TEFLON, or any other substance that effectively prevents gas
leakage beyond the surface of the seal. Valve housing tip 35 is
integrally connected to valve housing 34, which prevents leakage of
high-pressure compressed gas around the valve housing 34. Seals 102 also
prevent leakage of high-pressure gas and are placed at each connecting
section of the various components. Cylinder 31 surrounds valve housing 34
and provides sealed housing for piston 32, which contains a first surface
72 for low pressure gas B to flow into to drive piston 32 rearward and
seal valve pin 33 against tip 35. Valve housing 34 preferably contains an
interior chamber 36 for storing compressed gas to be used to fire a
projectile from the gun.

[0020] The variable pneumatic sear 29 of the compressed gas gun of the
present invention preferably consists of a control valve 30, a piston 32,
residing in preferably sealed cylinder housing 31. Control valve 30
directs low pressure compressed gas from low pressure regulator 21
through manifold 41 to the cylinder housing 31, allowing gas to contact
first surface of piston 32, driving the piston 32 rearward to seat the
valve pin 33 when de-actuated, which is considered the loading position.
The low pressure compressed gas is able to drive the piston 32 rearward
against high-pressure gas pressure on valve pin 33 because the surface
area of first surface 72 of piston 32 is larger than that of the surface
of valve pin 33. Control valve 30 preferably consists of a normally open
three-way valve. When actuated, a normally open valve will close its
primary port and exhaust gas from the primary port, thereby releasing
pressure from the first surface of piston 32, through a port 42 drilled
into manifold 41. This allows high pressure compressed gas, pushing
against the smaller surface area of valve in 33, to drive pin 33 forward
and break the seal by o-ring 70 to release the stored gas from valve
housing 34. Compressed gas then flows around valve pin 33, through ports
32a in piston 32, and out through bolt tip 38 to launch a projectile from
the barrel 10.

[0021] Control valve 30 is preferably controlled by an electrical signal
sent from circuit board 63. The electronic control circuit consists of
on/off switch 87, power source 64, circuit board 63, and micro-switch 86.
When the gun is turned on by on/off switch 87, the electronic control
circuit is enabled. For convenience, the on/off switch 87 (and an
optional additional switches, such as that for adjacent anti-chop eye
that prevents the bolt's advance when a paintball 100 is not seated
within the breech) is located on the rear of the marker, within a recess
88 shielded on its sides by protective walls 89. This location protects
the switch 87 from inadvertent activation during play. The switch 87 is
preferably illuminated by LEDs.

[0022] When actuating switch 86 by manually depressing trigger 24, an
electrical signal is sent by circuit board 63 to the control valve 30 to
actuate and close the primary port, thereby releasing valve pin 33 and
launching a projectile. Once the momentary pulse to the control valve 30
is stopped by circuit board 63, the electronic circuit is reset to wait
for another signal from switch 86 and the gun will load its next
projectile. In this manner, the electrical control circuit controls a
firing operation of the compressed gas gun.

[0023] A description of the gun's operation is now illustrated. The
function of the pneumatic sear is best illustrated with reference to
FIGS. 3 and 4, which depict the movements of piston 32 more clearly.
Compressed gas enters the high-pressure regulator 50 through the input
port 49. The high-pressure regulator is generally known in the art and
regulates the compressed gas to about 200-300 p.s.i. These parameters may
be changed and adjusted using adjustment screw 51. which is externally
accessible to a user for adjustment of the gas pressure in the
high-pressure regulator. This high-pressure gas is used to actuate the
firing valve and launch a projectile from the barrel 10 of the compressed
gas gun. Upon passing through high-pressure regulator 50, compressed gas
is fed both through gas transport tube 7 to the valve chamber 36 via
manifold 8, and through port 5 to the low pressure regulator 21.
Low-pressure regulator 21 is also generally known in the art. Compressed
gas is regulated down to approximately between 50-125 p.s.i. by the
low-pressure regulator, and is also adjusted by an externally accessible
adjustment screw/cap 28, which is preferably externally manually
adjustable for easy and quick adjustment. Compressed gas then passes
through port 25 into manifold 41, where electro-pneumatic valve 30
directs it into cylinder housing 31 through low pressure passages 74 and
low pressure gas pushes against first surface 72 on piston 32, driving it
rearwards and seating seal 70 against valve housing tip 35. Note that
piston's 32 movement in the rearward direction is limited by contact
between the second surface 76 and a stop 34a on the valve housing 34.

[0024] This allows bolt tip 38 to clear the breech area of the body 3, in
which stage a projectile 100 moves from the feed tube 6 and rests
directly in front of bolt tip 38. The projectile is now chambered and
prepared for firing from the breech. The high-pressure compressed gas,
which has passed into the valve chamber 36 via high pressure passage 37,
is now pushing against valve pin 33 on the rear of piston 32. The seal
created by o-ring 70 on valve pin 33 is not broken because the force of
the low-pressure gas on the first side of cylinder 31 is sufficient to
hold the valve pin 33 rearward.

[0025] When trigger 24 is depressed, electro-pneumatic valve 30 is
actuated (preferably using a solenoid housed within the manifold 41,
shutting off the flow of low-pressure gas to housing 31 and venting the
housing 31 via manifold 41. This allows the higher pressure gas, which is
already pushing against valve tip 33 from the rear, to drive valve tip 33
forward to the firing position and break the seal 72 against the housing
35. Bolt tip 38, which is connected to piston 32, pushes a projectile
forward in the breech and seals the feed tube 6 from compressed gas
during the first stage of launch because the valve pin 33 is still
passing through valve housing tip 35 during this stage. This prevents gas
leakage up the tube 6 and positions the projectile for accurate launch.
Once the valve pin 33 clears the housing tip 35, a flow passage D is
opened, and the higher pressure gas flows through ports 32a, 38a drilled
through the interior of piston 32 and bolt tip 38 and propels the
paintball from barrel 10. Note that the piston's 32 movement in the
forward direction is limited by contact between the first surface 72 and
a shoulder 73 within the cylinder 31.

[0026] The signal sent to electro-pneumatic valve 30 is a momentary pulse,
so when the pulse ceases, the valve 30 is de-actuated. This allows
low-pressure gas to enter cylinder housing 31 and drive valve piston 32
rearwards against the force exerted by high-pressure gas to the seated
position and allow loading of the next projectile.

[0027] Since piston 32 has a larger surface area on its outside diameter
than the surface area on the valve pin 33, low-pressure gas is able to
hold high-pressure gas within the valve chamber 36 during the loading
cycle of the gun. This is more advantageous than a design where a
separate piston is used to actuate a separate valve, because the step of
actuating and de-actuating the piston is removed from the launch cycle.

[0028] In addition, the pressures of the low pressure gas and high
pressure gas may be varied according to user preference, thereby allowing
for many variable pneumatic configurations of the gun and reducing
problems with erratic cycling caused by using the same gas to control
both the recock and launch functions of the gun. Because the mechanical
sear is eliminated, the gun is also extremely lightweight and recoil is
significantly reduced. The gun is also significantly faster than existing
designs because the independent piston operation is eliminated.

[0029] In an alternate embodiment, the compressed gas gun can operate at
one operating pressure instead of having a high-pressure velocity circuit
and a low-pressure recock circuit. This is easily accomplished by
adjusting the ratio of the surface sizes of the first surface 72 and the
valve pin 33. In this manner, the size of the gun is reduced even more
because low-pressure regulator 21 is no longer needed.

[0030] While the present invention is described as a variable pneumatic
sear for a paintball gun, it will be readily apparent that the teachings
of the present invention can also be applied to other fields of
invention, including pneumatically operated projectile launching devices
of other types. In addition, the gun may be modified to incorporate a
mechanical or pneumatic control circuit instead of an electronic control
circuit, for instance a pulse valve or manually operated valve, or any
other means of actuating the pneumatic sear.

[0031] It will be thus seen that the objects set forth above, and those
made apparent from the preceding description, are attained. It will also
be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made to the
construction of the invention without departing from the spirit of it. It
is intended, therefore, that the description and drawings be interpreted
as illustrative and that the following claims are to be interpreted in
keeping with the spirit of the invention, rather than the specific
details set forth.

[0032] It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended
to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein
described and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as a
matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Patent applications by Jerrold M. Dobbins, Kuna, ID US

Patent applications by KEE ACTION SPORTS I LLC

Patent applications in class Opened by electrically actuated means

Patent applications in all subclasses Opened by electrically actuated means